BidRide, a new local ridershare app, rivals Uber and Lyft

A new, local rideshare app called BidRide is ready to take on the competition with a concept that allows riders to set the price for their ride and drivers to accept or decline it.

“Uber and Lyft control everything. They set the pricing,” says Joe Sanfelippo, a former taxi company executive and CEO of Milwaukee-based BidRide. “Our model is a free-model approach that suggests what a fair ride would be, but we let the rider and driver negotiate the price.”

Sanfelippo, who lives in Milwaukee, says his app protects riders from surge prices and provides drivers with more control over how much they are paid.

“One of the biggest problems with rideshare is that drivers can’t make a livable wage, but our drivers are in charge of their own destiny because they will never work for less money than they want to,” he says. “They have the final say.

“We are a very driver-centric company, which is what’s best for our riders, too.”

The BidRide concept is similar to Priceline. After riders request a ride, they are offered the market price and then can accept it or suggest a lower price. If a driver does not take the ride, they can increase the price accordingly.

Also, if a price is suggested and someone is in a hurry, they can offer over the suggested price with the understanding they will be prioritized by the nearest drivers.

Taxi service is also available via BidRide, and the company plans to offer shuttles, limos and ADA-accessible vehicles in early fall.

“We want to provide the best rides for everyone while honoring our drivers’ time and wage,” says Sanfelippo.